A New Start
by bamtino21
Summary: AU & OOC, After defeating Voldemort Harry decides to leave the wizarding world behind for the peace and quiet of Forks, Washington.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from the Harry Potter and Twilight Series.**

**Summary: AU & OOC, After Harry defeats Voldemort he decides to leave the magic community behind for the peace and quiet of Forks, Washington. Let me know what you think.**

A NEW START

CHAPTER 1

It had been a long time coming. My entire life had been leading up to this one single moment, and if asked I would have been positive I was ready. Yet standing here looking into the eyes of the one person whom I despised above all others, I can not help but think that I had already lost. The man who had taken my parents from me before I could even get to know them had just killed the man who had stepped up and made sure I was ready for this moment.

My Godfather, Sirius Black.

I wasn't even two years old when this man became the person I counted on for everything. Of course I did not realize this at the time, but right now it was as clear as day.

It was Sirius who pulled me from the ashes of my parents' home the night they were killed. It was Sirius who made sure I was not left on the doorstep of my mothers relatives. It was Sirius who risked his freedom to make sure I grew up away from those who would use me for their own gain. And it was Sirius that made sure I would be able to stand here today secure in the fact I would be the one to walk away from this fight.

I just never thought I might not want to.

From the age of four, when normal children began going to kindergarten, I had been introduced into the life where you did whatever you had to do to survive. Sirius had known from the moment he took me from my home that my fight had just begun, and he vowed to do everything in his power to give me every advantage possible.

Most people would be shocked by how we lived. Never staying in one place for more than absolutely necessary to become efficient in whatever skill we were currently acquiring. They would be even more outraged with the lengths their golden boy was taught to go in order to succeed.

Early on it started out as nothing more than the basics of survival, but as I got older nothing was out of bounds or off limits. We stole, we lied, we cheated, and if the situation called for it we killed. The best part, or the worst depending on your view, is I was good at what we did. Too good.

In order to be prepared for anything that would come my way, I was trained in the tactics taught to muggles and wizards alike. I learned to move in silence, I was intimately aware of all the weak points of the human body, I new every spell that could bring pain to my enemy, and I performed every ritual possible that would enhance my reflexes. I was a predator.

I am sure there are others that if put in my situation would scream at the injustice of it all, but it was hard for me to see it that way because for as long as I can remember I could think of wanting nothing more than to be able to avenge those who died for me. Maybe it was just that I didn't know any better.

That's not to say we never had fun. Even the most grave of situations could not change the nature of Sirius Black. As a marauder and self-proclaimed ladies man he felt it was his duty to pass on all of his knowledge and wisdom to his protégé. And while I did not take to pranks the way Sirius and my father did, I did rather well with the fairer sex. Sirius liked to believe it was because of his tutelage, but I am pretty sure it had more to do with my mother's eyes, father's hair, and a body honed by years of training.

Sirius tried to hide it but I new he was extremely worried about what would happen to me after I had fulfilled my destiny. He made sure I saw there was life after the fight, a world where good people lived amongst those who wished to destroy it. And while I never had the privilege of attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the concept of it was something that I cherished.

Which brings me to how Voldemort's Second War of Wizards started and the part Sirius and I decided to play.

Sirius and I had been working in the shadows for the past few years, ever since the Diggory boy had been killed in the graveyard to bring the monster back. Unlike the Order of the Phoenix, which waited for Voldemort and his Death Eaters to strike, we had been singling out his supporters one by one and inexplicably they seemed to either vanish without a trace or fall victim to freak accidents. My favorite rumor is that suspected Death Eater and Ministry Executioner Walden Macnair had been eaten alive by a group of ravenous Hippogriffs.

Unfortunately for the members of the Light, with his numbers dwindling Voldemort was forced to look for allies in other places and soon he found them in the Vampires. While not all of the covens joined forces with the Dark Lord, he did receive the backing of the unofficial royalty of the Vampires, the Volturi.

Despite the fact that not many people know the true origins of these creatures, they do know the horror stories. Wizards, like most people, fear the unknown and in that fear grant even more power to their enemies. Tales of how these Vampires were indestructible were whispered in the streets and the communities of wizards around the country grew hopeless.

That was until a group of these Vampires decided to attack Diagon Alley.

As expected, when the attack happened complete chaos ensued. Wizards in the middle of the alley had no chance, because of the speed of the vamps most died before they ever new what happened. The Vampires spared none. Women, children and the elderly were targeted with as much ferocity as anyone else. The world of wizards worst nightmare had come true; they were up against an enemy they had no idea how to handle.

What was not expected however was the presence of two men whom had run across a couple of these Vampires in their travels, and the ease in which they were dispatched. Well, that's not exactly true. The man who had disposed of the Vampires may have made it look easy, but I assure you the Fiendfyre Curse was anything but easy to control. It was later found that if the caster had enough power they could cause extensive damage to the creatures with certain spells such as Reducto and Expulso. Unfortunately, only a handful of wizards alive had such power.

The Volturi were not accustomed to the failure they experienced that night, so in the interest of self-preservation they withdrew their forces from the frontlines and promised Voldemort that if victory was in sight they would join him at the final battle.

As time went on each side had their minor victories; however, things changed completely in the summer before my seventeenth birthday. Albus Dumbledore was dead. Even now I have trouble believing the greatest wizard of our time was taken down by Draco Malfoy and the man he trusted most, Severus Snape.

Since then Sirius and I felt we had no other choice but to make our presence known to the Order of the Phoenix, and even though we turned down their offer of membership we let it be known that when the time came we would stand by their side.

As it turns out that time is today, my eighteenth birthday July 31, 1998. It seems Tom Riddle has a sense of humor after all.

The day started like any other until Voldemort decided to march on the castle with his loyal Death Eaters and behind them a group of Vampires, the Volturi including its leaders Aro, Caius, and Marcus. I remember thinking that it seems terribly unfair to me that the first time I lay eyes on Hogwarts Castle may very well be my last.

It surprised me that the battle at its early stages was so evenly fought. I was sure this had more to do with the Vampires sitting out the fight, deciding that the outcome was not as assured as Voldemort had promised.

Fighters on both sides were cut down in the blink of an eye. The smallest of distractions lead to the quickest of deaths. Unfortunately, Sirius was not immune to these distractions, and it cost him his life. He had been caught up in a vicious battle with his deranged cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, and did not see the green curse that Voldemort had thrown at his back. However, Voldemort's victory was short lived because no more then two seconds later, with a large hole in her chest, Bellatrix joined her cousin in the afterlife.

I have often heard stories of what a person feels when they loose someone they love, but now I realize, as I look down upon the man who saved me, no words could ever do it justice. Pain unimaginable, a feeling of loss indescribable, and surprisingly a feeling of unconditional love passed through me. And in that instant my resolve strengthened and a decision was made. Tom Riddle, a.k.a. Lord Voldemort, would not live to see another day.

As I raised my head to gaze at the creature that used to be Tom Riddle, I came to comprehend that this man was not something I feared. I pitied him. A man, who once had the power to be great, was now nothing more than a shadow of his former self.

As I continued my inspection our stares meet, and I could see the recognition pass in his eyes. I could also identify the look of absolute disbelief that replaced it.

"Hello, Tom." I whispered.

"Potter, I knew it was too much to hope you had died with your worthless parents." Voldemort snarled.

With a decades worth of practice in the art of occlumency, I let the insult slide. Keeping my voice and emotions calm, "Now Tom, I know your mother must have taught you such rudeness is never necessary."

Voldemort fumed as my comment struck at his pride, "How dare you speak to me, Lord Voldemort, as anything except your better. If you wish to live beyond this day you will restrain that tongue of yours."

I could not stop the brief flicker of surprise at the statement. Did Voldemort doubt his ability to defeat me or was he foolish enough to believe I could be swayed into serving him?

"I watched you today Potter, you have many skills that would be useful to me and my cause. So I give you this one chance, join me and you shall be rewarded and treated like the prince you will become."

I couldn't have stopped the laugh that escaped my mouth even if I had tried. "My entire life I have been warned of the cunning of You-Know-Who, it saddens me to see you are nothing more than a silly little man."

I wasn't surprised by the cry of fury and the drawing of his wand, it was exactly what I had hoped would happen. No man and it seems especially not Lord Voldemort, fights well when blinded by rage. So consumed in anger, Riddle was screaming his spells and shaking so much that his aim became sloppy. It was the only opening that I needed.

As I raised my wand in my right hand, I reached my left to the holster hidden behind my back. My hand made contact with the .45 caliber Smith & Wesson that resided there, and before he could even register what had happened Tom Riddle had two holes where his heart should have been. I new Voldemort did not hold much stock in anything to do with muggles; unfortunately for him he wouldn't live long enough to change his mind.

After making sure that the Dark Lord was dead, I looked up preparing myself to battle the remaining Vampires only to find they had vanished without a trace.

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The Volturi could not believe their eyes as they watched Harry Potter dismantle the Dark Wizards forces. This mere child wielded power of the likes never seen in their lifetime, and they could not help but stand in awe. Just as Voldemort was receiving the killing blow, Aro signaled their retreat. Anyone watching could see that he was torn; on one hand he coveted the power the boy held, and on the other he wished to never see him again.

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It has been three days since the Wizarding World starting celebrating the demise of Lord Voldemort. Three days of absolute hell. It brought me back to when Sirius told me about how they acted after I first defeated Tom Riddle. My parents and Sirius are dead, not to mention the dozens of others and these people think its time to party. I understand it is not completely reasonable to blame them for their behavior, yet I could not find it in me to care.

To make matters worse, I had the distinct pleasure of getting acquainted with the two mouth pieces of the Wizarding World, Minister Cornelius Fudge and columnist of the Daily Prophet Rita Skeeter. After meeting these two I was now more sure than ever that this would be my last week as a part of this world.

My plan was quite simple really and only had a few criteria that had to be met. First, wherever it is that I decide to go the people who live there must speak English. Second, the smaller the population of the community the better; and finally, there must be no wizards or witches. That last one is a deal breaker.

Amazingly the only English speaking town in the entire world that has never had a recorded signature of any witch or wizard is the town of Forks, Washington U.S.A. I never even thought to question this irregularity; it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. My decision made and bags packed, I left this world behind hoping for a new start.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from the Harry Potter and Twilight Series.**

**Summary: AU & OOC, After Harry defeats Voldemort he decides to leave the magic community behind for the peace and quiet of Forks, Washington. Let me know what you think.**

A NEW START

CHAPTER 2

JANUARY 17, 2005

It is amazing how fast it seems that time goes by. Even during that first year on my own, where minutes felt like hours and days like years, time seemed to slip by.

I new it wasn't going to be easy living without Sirius, a day hasn't gone by since that I haven't thought about him and the life we had envisioned after the war.

We had it all planned out. Well, as planned out as possible considering the people doing the actual planning were a hormone driven sixteen year old and an incorrigible mutt who thought himself a modern day Casanova. Thinking of it now, I can't help the enormous smile that spreads across my face. We were going to continue traveling the world, using the fame and recognition bestowed upon us by defeating the worst Dark Lord of all time to enjoy life's greatest pleasures.

I know I can't believe it either. I am still smiling like an idiot wondering what the hell was going through our thick skulls. Like I said I was young and stupid, but Sirius…

Looking back always hurts, yet I can not seem to stop myself whenever my mind wanders it that direction.

Life in Folks, Washington had been exactly how I imagined. It is my definition of perfection; if it did not rain everyday I would say it was my very own utopia. During that first year I was not very sociable, and the good people of Forks seemed to pick up on that pretty quickly. If I didn't know any better, I would have said they quite enjoyed gossiping about the mysterious young man that lived by himself.

The only person in town who seemed to not pick up on the atmosphere I had surrounded myself in was my next door neighbor, Police Chief Charlie Swan. I do not know whether he felt it was his responsibility as Sheriff to make sure I wasn't causing trouble, or if he just felt sorry for me that made him check on me with such regularity. The man was like clock work, every other day after work he would knock on the door of the small house I had purchased upon my arrival to see if I was staying in line. A least that is what I told myself; it was easier to see myself as the teenage rebel instead of the depressed person that I was portraying.

Amazingly it was eight months of the same routine before I eventually caved and invited Charlie in for a beer. He tried to play the big bad Sheriff about the alcohol but one look at my face silenced any objections he might have had about the situation. He was surprised with how well my place looked, considering the condition it was in when I bought it I was surprised myself. Who knew living the life that I had could make someone so handy?

Even more surprising was the outcome of his visit; not only was this the start of my first friendship in Forks, it lead to my first job as well. Charlie, seeing my skill with a hammer and wrench, let slip that he knew some people who could use my help and had asked if I would mind if he spread the word around town that I was available. Not seeing any problems with this, and quite glad for a reason to leave the house I readily agreed.

From that moment on I fell in to the quiet, calming embrace of Forks, Washington. Life became amazingly stress free. During the day I became the friendly neighborhood handyman, I would spend my nights either watching a sporting event with Charlie or driving into the city and spending the night as any normal person my age would, and best of all were the weekends. I could never understand how people could find enjoyment in sitting around and waiting for something to happen; now that I have been introduced to the world of fishing I empathize completely.

In the back of my mind I understood that at any moment my past could catch up with me, so I continued to train and keep my body in condition; however, sitting out there on the lake, lost to the world, all those worries melted away.

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The first and only stumbling block that I had to cross while living in Forks came in 2003. To the casual observer nothing out of the ordinary had occurred, and it seems that accounted for 99% of the population in my new home. Despite the lack of evidence to the contrary my senses had never let me down and I was not going to start ignoring them now.

For a few days I searched for any reason for these new feelings, and finally my persistence was rewarded. I was at the grocery store waiting in line when I heard an older woman in front of me telling her friend about the family that had just moved in to town. It seems the Cullen family had moved here after their father, a doctor, had accepted a job at the local hospital. However, this is not what caught my attention; if I had heard the women correctly, and I was sure I did, the good doctor was not only exceptionally young, incredibly handsome, but also extremely pale.

If anybody had seen how stiff and pale I became after hearing this statement they may have thought about me what I new about the Cullen's.

Of course I could not have been positive at the time; I mean there must have been plenty of explanations for their appearance. Hell, living in Forks, Washington I have seen more than my share of pasty white people. However, when combined with my recent feelings of unease I new I would not be comfortable until I looked into the situation.

Over the next few days I was completely engrossed in my new mission, and I spent most of the days trying to invent a reason to run into Forks' new residents. I have no problems admitting I was dreadfully disappointed when all my planning was for naught when I received a call from Dr. Cullen explaining that he was having some problems with the houses water pipes. It really was a shame; you will have to take my word for it, but my way would have been so much more fun.

Looking back it was terribly anticlimactic…

_Flashback_

_Pulling into the long driveway towards the Cullen home I new right away that something was different about this group. From what I remember it was almost impossible for Vampires to live together in large groups, preferable traveling in groups of two or three. So you can imagine my surprise when I saw seven people lounging peacefully on their front porch and steps. Doubt was starting to creep into my mind and I cursed myself for jumping to conclusions so quickly._

_After parking my car, a 1998 Jeep Wrangler, I made my way towards the house and finally getting a good look at the Cullen's those doubts quickly left my mind. As I looked at the seven most beautiful beings in the world one thought continued to race through my mind, I have seen those eyes before._

_Going against all my years of training, I decided to let my curiosity get the better of me and see what was going on here. Taking a calming breath and pasting a smile on my face I jumped in head first, "Hello, I am looking for a Dr. Cullen." I was surprised to see the quick glances and the subtle negative shakes of the head that passed between the man that was obviously the head of this clan and two of his subordinates. Even more surprising was the look of shock he wore after receiving these messages._

_As he stood I was able to take in the complete package that was Dr. Cullen. Standing about an inch taller that me Dr. Cullen is a very sturdy 6'2 with blonde hair and movie star looks, and if I went on looks alone I would say he was between twenty-three and twenty-five years old. Replacing the look of shock with an easy smile, "I am Dr. Cullen, but please call me Carlisle. What can I do for you today?"_

_A small smirk graced my lips; it took me meeting a vampire to finally listen to the accent I sometimes longed to hear. "Sorry I didn't introduce myself, I'm Harry; you called about a problem with your pipes."_

_A look of recognition passed his face, and while he still looked perplexed about something the smile he now wore was more relaxed. "Ah yes, this is quite embarrassing and I apologize for not calling to cancel. You see, when we arrived water was not flowing through the pipes and in my ignorance I assumed something was wrong. Not realizing that this home has not been occupied for some time, and the water had been turned off I called for your assistance. Again I apologize."_

_Being a suspicious person by nature I did not believe a word of the speech that was delivered. Believing I was being lied to, I decided to use a bit of passive __legilimency to find out what was really going on. It seems they were having a small problem with the houses hot water, but they definitely had a much bigger dilemma in me. Digging a little deeper I was able to obtain that the two vamps he had the quick exchange with earlier had certain abilities, and it concerned them greatly that these abilities did not work on me._

_Knowing that my time was limited due to the sudden cancellation, and in desperate need to discover the intentions of this clan of Vampires, I briefly scanned the minds of the rest of the Cullen family. Not having time to go over all the information I recovered, I stored it away for future viewing. Again I put a smile on my face and looked directly at Dr. Cullen, "That's alright, I'm sure you had other things on your mind. No harm no foul."_

_I quickly got back into my car and drove home without a glance back. _

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_Carlisle POV_

_As I watch Harry drive away I can not help but think my family just dodged a very large bullet._

"_I agree completely" Edward whispered. In a stronger voice he added, "Did you smell his blood, there is definitely something off about him and that does not include my inability to read his thoughts. There is a dangerous quality about him."_

"_It's like he's not even there" Alice whined. "Even now, knowing where he is I can't see him."_

_Yes, a very large bullet._

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_It took all of my considerable self-control to wait until I entered my house before looking over the information __acquired from the minds of the Cullen's._

_It seems the woman next to Dr. Cullen on the porch was his wife Esme. From the images in my mind she looked to be about 5'6 with caramel colored hair, a beautiful heart-shaped face, and a slender figure. And despite her beauty she looked to be the oldest of the group at around twenty-six years old._

_The next set of memories I went through seemed to be from the two people Dr. Cullen had his silent exchange with, Edward and Alice Cullen. Edward looks to be about the same height as Carlisle; except with more of a lanky boyish figure with blonde untidy hair. Alice is tiny, standing about 4'10 with black spiky hair and small pixie-like features. If I did not know she is a Vampire I would have thought her the cutest little thing I have ever seen. The most intriguing thing about the two however is the abilities they had control over. Edward is able to read the mind of whoever is in his general vicinity, while Alice's ability allows her to see any number of possible futures depending on the choices made by the people involved. It is no wonder they wanted me as far away from them as possible, with my occlumency shield protecting my thoughts and decisions they were both in the dark when it came to me._

_The most dangerous of the bunch, at least in my opinion, was definitely Jasper Hale. Jasper stood at about 6'3 with the build of a born soldier, muscular and lean. It is his ability to manipulate a person's emotions that makes me consider him the greatest threat. Also from the quick glimpse inside his head it would seem Jasper and Alice were a package deal._

_The remaining two members of the group were also the most physically intimidating. Emmett Cullen towered over the rest of the clan at 6'5 with huge bulging muscles; just picturing him I feel slightly inadequate. And his better half, Rosalie Hale stood about 5'9 with golden wavy hair. If Alice was the cutest thing I have ever seen, Rosalie was by far the sexiest._

_So while it was good to know thy enemy and all that, the most important piece of information was also the most shocking. The Cullen's are vegetarians. No joke. I had noticed the slight difference in the eyes of the Cullen's, but had no idea what it could mean; now I do. It seems Carlisle had found it was possible for Vampires to satisfy there thirst by drinking the blood of animals. And yeah, it made sense. I see no reason why it would not work, such a simple and obvious answer to a question that has plagued the magical world since forever._

_Consequently, knowing what I do I saw no reason why life could not go on as it had been here in Forks. As long as the Cullen's continued their current feeding habits, we could quite easily stay out of each others way and no one would be any the wiser._

_End Flashback_

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It's funny how the decisions of others can affect the lives of so many.

Consider the arrival of Police Chief Charlie Swan's daughter Bella. No one could have possibly known the consequences of her decision to stay with her father in Forks, yet it is an action that will change this town and the people that live in it forever.

Only time will tell whether or not it is for the better.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from the Harry Potter and Twilight Series.**

**Summary: AU & OOC, After Harry defeats Voldemort he decides to leave the magic community behind for the peace and quiet of Forks, Washington. Let me know what you think.**

A NEW START

CHAPTER 3

I woke up with a start, looking around wildly for a reason I noticed my cell phone vibrating on my nightstand. I collapsed back to the bed and picked it up, "Ah, hello?" I mumbled tiredly.

"Um, hi" a voice spoke hesitantly, "my name is Bella Swan, my father Charlie told me to call you if I had any problems around the house; and it's not a huge problem or anything like that, but the kitchen sink is leaking a little bit. If this is a bad time I could call back later."

"No, no. Now is as good a time as any. I'll be there in a few minutes." Dragging myself out of bed and into the shower I realized I had completely forgotten that Charlie's daughter was now staying next door. Which is silly really, considering everyone has not stopped talking about it since she arrived.

I have my excuses of course, being busy and what not; however, this would be my first time meeting Miss Swan and I could finally see for myself what all the fuss was about. Fifteen minutes later, showered and dressed I made my way down the street to the Swan residence and knocked on the door.

I could see movement inside the house, and when Bella stepped into the light it was obvious why the boys around town had her on their mind. Bella stood around 5'4 with straight brown hair and warm brown eyes, and if I was to describe her I would say she is pretty in that girl next door kind of way.

"Can I help you?" she asked when she reached the door.

"Hi, I'm Harry Potter. You called about the sink."

A look of recognition crossed her face and she quickly opened the door. "Oh, I'm sorry come inside. I didn't think you would get here so fast and honestly I was expecting someone much older."

I laughed, "Charlie didn't tell you I live just down the block?"

A look of curiosity crossed her face, "No, he didn't mention it. I wonder why?"

I laughed again because I in fact new why Charlie did not mention that I lived in the neighborhood. Over the years Charlie and I had become very close, and like most men who were close we shared some of our experiences with the fairer sex. And while Charlie's experience was limited by his love for Bella's mother Renee, I had no such restrictions.

"What's so funny?" Bella questioned with a smile on her face.

With a small teasing smile of my own I answered, "It would seem your father does not want you to get to know me too well."

When she comprehended the meaning of my statement a rather vicious blush made itself visible and I could not help the chuckle that escaped my lips. "Oh my God, why… never mind, I do not want to know."

As I continued to laugh I started to work on the kitchen sink. About a half-hour later, as I was finishing up I heard a car pull up in front of the house and recognized Charlie's voice "Bella, you home?"

"Yeah dad" she called "I'm in the kitchen with Harry."

Pulling myself up from under the sink I gave Bella a wink and when Charlie entered the room I put my arm around her shoulder and spoke, "Hey Charlie, Bella and I have been getting acquainted and we were wondering if you would mind if she spent the night at my place?"

The absolute look of horror on Charlie's face was too much for the both of us and we collapsed in laughter. "Jesus Charlie, you look like I told you the world was coming to an end" I said pretending to be hurt.

The relief on Charlie's face when he realized we were teasing him was just as amusing. Smiling he said, "You have no idea how many ways to hide your body just flashed through my head."

After another good laugh I starting packing my tools and tried to persuade Charlie to let go of these ideas which I knew he truly worried about. "I'm 24 years old Charlie, Bella's 17. You don't have to worry about me and your little girl." He smiled at me as he recognized the truth in my words. The smile disappeared completely however when I told him "it's these randy teenagers you should keep your eye on."

I haven't had this much fun in a long time.

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Life in Forks was quiet as I made my way over to Charlie's to enjoy some March Madness. There is always a certain level of excitement during this time of year that reminds me of home and the soccer hooligans. Shaking my head and with a little smile I knocked on Charlie's door just now noticing the silver Volvo parked in front of the house.

After a couple seconds I heard Charlie yell "Harry come in, I'm in the kitchen." Letting myself in and wondering what was going on I peeked around the corner and saw three people standing awkwardly in the kitchen. The first two were obviously the Swan's, it was the third person, Edward Cullen, which made my eyes widen. Before walking into the kitchen I tried to perform a quick scan on Bella to see if she was aware of what the Cullen's were, and to my surprise my probe was stopped by an impenetrable shield. Putting aside my shock at finding a muggle with natural shields, I scanned Edward and found the information I needed. It seems Bella knows all about Vampires and does not care; therefore, I don't care.

"Bella, it is always good to see you. Hey Charlie, you should have told me you were having company I would have brought my funnel" I quipped hoping to break the tension in the room. Judging by the look Police Chief Swan sent me I do not think he appreciated the try.

"Hi Harry" Bella said with a grateful smile, "I was just introducing dad to my boyfriend Edward."

Despite knowing this was a delicate situation for all involved I could not help but find humor in their nervous conditions. "Boyfriend huh, nice going Bella, he's quite pretty." Chuckling at the blush that lit up her cheeks I continued "I'm sure Charlie has something to help you ward off all his admirers."

"Do not start with me Harry Potter" Bella said with devious smile. "Especially since I have witnessed all the girls that have made the walk of shame from your little love shack." Everyone, even Charlie, was laughing now and the atmosphere was much more amiable.

"I assure you Miss Swan, those ladies have left feeling nothing but absolute satisfaction" I said to another round of laughs.

"Right, whatever helps you sleep better Harry. Anyway, you don't have to worry about the funnel because Edward and I are going out."

A little bit of the tension came back when Charlie asked "Where are you going?"

This time it was Edward who answered "We are going to play some baseball with my family in the field by my house."

"Really, Bella's going to play baseball?" Charlie asked disbelievingly.

"Yes sir, I will make sure she comes home early and in one piece." After that statement by Edward and a severe look from Bella, Charlie had no choice but to agree.

Following the goodbyes from Edward and Bella, a strange silence settled over us as Charlie tried to come to terms with his baby having a boyfriend. As he turned to me and saw the smile on my face he said "Not a word Harry, not one word" and took his customary spot in front of the television.

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_Bella's POV_

Making our way towards the car I could tell there was something bothering Edward. "Hey, what's going on inside that head of yours?"

After getting in the car and pulling out of the driveway he finally looked at me and asked "What do you know about your friend Harry?"

"Harry?" I repeated surprised by the topic. "Not much. He's from England, about 25 years old and works around town as a handyman. That's about it. Why, is there something wrong?

"You don't get any weird feelings when you are around him?" Edward asked.

I was about to answer with a quick no, but then decided to think about his question. After giving it some thought I answered "He has been nothing but nice to me and my dad; but your right, whenever I'm around him there is this sense of power about him. What's going on Edward?"

Edward stared blankly ahead for a few moments, obviously deeply in thought. "I don't know Bella. He has the same ability as you but his is much stronger, and his blood… it smells dangerous."

Confusion was clear in my voice, "I don't understand. I thought you heard nothing of my thoughts. How could it be stronger than that?"

"It's not that" Edward responded, "I can not hear either of your thoughts. The thing that makes Harry stronger is the fact that he has the same effect on Alice."

"What does the rest of your family think?"

"They don't know what to think" Edward stated. "We can tell he's dangerous, but like you said he's nice and has never caused us any problems. It has been driving Carlisle crazy."

"It just does not make any sense. I have never felt nervous or scared when Harry's around" I complained. "In fact, his presence seems to put me at ease."

I saw the sly smile spread across Edward's face and I new I set myself up for some teasing. "Hmm, well I guess that is to be expected. I may not be able to read your mind, but the other females around here seem to find him quite striking as well. They may not have said it out loud, but even Rosalie and Alice seemed to think he is attractive."

"Yes, well…" I floundered trying to keep the blood from rising to my cheeks. "I was only half joking earlier about all the women that seem to come and go from his house, so I expect there are those who would find him appealing."

"But not you" Edward replied with a smirk.

"So baseball, that sounds like fun." I stated hoping to change the topic of conversation; however, Edwards booming laugh told me I had failed miserably.

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_Harry's POV_

What the hell just happened?

One minute Charlie and I are sitting on the couch watching the game and the next Bella's moving back to Arizona. Obviously Charlie is devastated, and it seems Bella knew exactly what to say to make sure he did not try to stop her from leaving. If I was anybody else I too would have fell for the performance Bella just gave; however, if there is one thing my life has prepared me for it is being able to spot a lie. I just can't think of a good reason why.

Making my excuses, knowing they fell on deaf ears, I left and set out for the reason for the quick exit with a pretty strong suspicion that it has something to do with the Cullen's. With that thought in mind I hurriedly make my way towards the Cullen's house hoping to sort out this mess.

Upon my arrival I have my suspicions confirmed. The Cullen house is completely sealed off with metal shudders covering all the windows, and the implicit reason for the lockdown is the malevolent presence in the woods that demands my attention. After getting a lock on the antagonist in the woods, and preparing for the fight I knew was coming, I apparate to a spot about twenty feet away from my target.

Standing there, eyes focused on the Cullen house, is a Vampire of a type I am much more familiar; red eyes, snarling, crouched and ready to pounce, and most definitely not a vegetarian. Deciding to make my presence known I step from behind my cover and introduce myself, "Hello there." Startled, the vamp spins around and steels himself for an attack that never comes. "Sorry, didn't mean to sneak up on you. I saw you here in the woods and was just wondering if you needed a little assistance."

"No" the vamp replied after taking a moment to size me up and obviously dismissing me as nothing more than a nuisance. "However, you will suffice as a nice little power boost before my hunt."

"Lovely" I boast, pretending to not have caught the implied threat. "What are we hunting on this fine evening?" Not receiving an answer, but catching his eyes flicker towards the Cullen home, I decide to cut to the chase. "Ah, I see. I am terribly sorry, but I cannot allow that to happen."

"Allow" the Vampire shrieked, "as if a weak human like you could stop me. I would show you the error of your ways, but you will not live long enough to appreciate the lesson." And with an animalistic growl the vamp tried to charge; yes, I say tried because it is quite hard move when you no longer have any control over your body.

Walking slowly towards the confused and terrified creature I decided to explain the circumstances in which he currently found himself involved, and as an added bonus I got to use my all knowing voice. Trying to keep the smile off of my face I started my performance, "Power is intoxicating is it not? I always find it fascinating to see how those who wield it deal with its' allure. Unfortunately my friend, you have abused it to such an extent that I can no longer permit your usage of it, and as you can probably tell I have already cut you off from that power. It's funny in a way, no doubt before today you believed yourself indestructible, and when it comes to strength, speed, and senses you would be correct. Regrettably for you my power, the power of the mind, controls every action of the body and therefore renders you useless. So in parting, I shall show you the error of your ways, and even though you will not live long, I am sure the lesson is clear. _Incendio."_

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_Bella's POV_

"Here is what we are going to do" Edward stated with an air of finality. "Alice, Jasper, and Bella are going to hide out in Arizona. Esme and Rosalie are going to try and lead James away by cloaking themselves in Bella's scent. And Carlisle, Emmett, and I are going to hunt James on foot."

"Edward are you crazy" I scream, "You can't leave me. Not now."

"Bella, trust me. This is our best chance to end this and you know it. I…" Edward stopped abruptly as Alice went into some sort of trance. "Alice, what is it… what do you see?"

"It's over" Alice whispered. "He's gone. James' is dead."

Shocked silence filled the room and it was a few seconds before I was able to find my voice. "Alice, I don't understand. How is this possible? Are you sure?"

"Yes" Alice said with certainty. "His future is no more… Edward go outside, just inside the woods, you will find his ashes."

Not a second later Edward and Emmett darted outside to confirm Alice's vision and just as soon they both came back wearing looks of disbelief. "Alice" Edward sighed. "How… tell us what you saw."

With an intense look of concentration Alice started to explain, "At first I saw him falling for our trick and following Esme and Rosalie. Then, all of a sudden he was consumed in flames. For some reason I could not see his attacker, yet I know he could because I saw the look of fear on his face before it happened."

"Alice, are you sure about that last part?" Edward questioned as if he already knew the answer.

"Yes Edward, I am sure."

"James could see him, but you could not. He was there, but you could not see him. Does that sound like any one we know?" Edward asked while looking directly at me.

I did not need to be a mind reader to know everyone in the Cullen home was thinking about the same person, Harry Potter.


End file.
